MEXICO, FOR BRITISH YOUTH

The History of the Conquest of Mexico, by the celebrated Hernan Cortes. Containing a faithful and entertaining Detail of all his amazing Victories, in that vast Empire, its Laws, Customs, Religion, &c. A Work abounding with Strokes of Generalship, and the most refined Maxims of civil Policy. To which is added, the Voyage of Vasco de Gama, extracted from Osorio, Bishop of Sylves. Published for the Improvement and Entertainment of the British Youth of both Sexes …

London: Printed for William Anderson … 1759.

Two vols. in one, 12mo., pp. [4], 127, [1]; 130, no title-page to second volume (as issued), with a half-title to volume I; a very good copy in the original pink-red boards, rubbed, free endpapers torn away.

£1850

Approximately:
US $2335€2165

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The History of the Conquest of Mexico, by the celebrated Hernan Cortes. Containing a faithful and entertaining Detail of all his amazing Victories, in that vast Empire, its Laws, Customs, Religion, &c. A Work abounding with Strokes of Generalship, and the most refined Maxims of civil Policy. To which is added, the Voyage of Vasco de Gama, extracted from Osorio, Bishop of Sylves. Published for the Improvement and Entertainment of the British Youth of both Sexes …

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First edition, very scarce, of a history of the conquistadores for young readers, loosely derived from Antonio Solís de Ribadeneyra’s Historia de la Conquista de México.

Contrary to the suggestion of the British Library catalogue, it is not a reprint of the text that had appeared in Smollet’s A Compendium of authentic and entertaining Voyages (1756), though the description of the voyage of Vasco de Gama (II, 101-130) is the same. Little is known of Dilworth, despite his authorship of numerous digests of history for younger readers in the 1750s, including one of Pizarro’s conquest of Peru, as well as biographies of Pope and Swift and a Complete Letter-Writer that saw numerous editions in America.

ESTC shows five copies, of which only Kent State and John Carter Brown have volume II. There are also complete copies at Yale and Newberry. Sabin 20184.

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